Go Back to Where You Came From is a distinctly American story... populated with trolls and racism, but also with celebrations of family and the story of a young man discovering his voice. Ali is the son of Pakistani immigrants who grew up in Fremont, Ca, matriculated to Cal Berkeley, became a successful playwright, and... Continue Reading →
Volunteers: Growing Up in the Forever War by Jerad W. Alexander
Jerad Alexander grew up smelling the burn of aircraft fuel... stateside and across the Pacific in Japan, he lived on Air Force bases. He soaked up the mythos of the all-powerful US military might. He planned for years to enlist when he graduated from high school and eventually joined the marines. Wanting to get 'in... Continue Reading →
The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone by Edward Dolnick
I was very lucky to have friends living in London several years back. Steve and Megan had moved there for a couple years with plans to move back to the States when they had kids. It was my opportunity to stay with them for a week and see the sights. Off they would go to... Continue Reading →
Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore (1994–2007) by Dan Ozzi
Loud galloping guitars... thumping bass... chest-hammering drums... soaring vocals. The pop punk surge blasted out of my college dorm window. Dookie. Enema of the State. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy. These albums were part of the soundtrack of my young life... uh yeah, I still listen to them! Dan Ozzi's book Sellout tells the story of... Continue Reading →
The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America’s Wildlands by Jon Billman (Mini Review)
I was sitting on the porch of our family cabin reading this book... and all of a sudden a speedy red helicopter ripped over my head. I had heard that there was a missing hiker one canyon over, but this may have been for another emergency. The Sierra Nevada range in dangerous. An injury that... Continue Reading →